Haunted Weekend Away at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat

O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat is a popular tourist destination in the Gold Coast hinterlands. Located in the Heritage Listed Lamington National Park, it boasts ancient trees, walking tracks and endangered bird species on its back doorstep, as well as the jaw dropping views of the Tree Top Walk. But when the sun goes down and the tourists go home, the spirits come out to play…

From ancient burial grounds to min min lights alluring unsuspecting hikers away from their path, the rainforest is said to be full of ghosts and spooks. Get up close with one at a Lantern Ghost Tours hosted guided tour of the area in June, on Friday the 13. Learn more about the 1937 Stinson aircraft plane crash that killed four people, and keep an eye out for the ghostly caretaker who won't let death stop him from doing his final rounds.

"The staff have long known O'Reilly's to be a place with a deep history," O'Reilly Rainforest event manager Andrew Hutchison said. "Many have seen the ghost of Molly who opens and closes guesthouse doors and a face has been captured on film in a wood box. One of our barmen posed for a photo with two guests; when it was developed, there was a mysterious fourth person."

Friday the 13 has been considered an unlucky day since at least the fourteenth century, when it was mentioned in Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, but it may be a lucky day for anyone hoping to catch a peek of a ghostly visitor.

O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat and Lantern Ghost Tours are offering the Haunted Weekend Away package, which can be booked for three days and two nights, or two days and one night. Starting at $260 per person, guests received accommodation, meals and tours, and the itinerary includes night time ghost tours, candlelit dinners, and visits to other hinterland tourist attractions.

Tour organisers are expecting this to book out quickly and suggest that ghost-hunters book in early. Bookings can be made via the Lantern Ghost Tours website or by calling 1300 390 119.